Feather (16 page)

Feather shivered in spite of the hot sun on her shoulders. “You don’t suppose he would trade peacefully with my tribe if I talked to him?”

Tag seemed to choose his words carefully. “He told all of us—the warriors, that is—to save likely children, your age and up. ‘Their children are skilled, and not so much trouble as the grownups,’ he said.”

“But—”

“Don’t even think it.” Patch snarled at the sharp tone Tag used. “Feather, you saw what we did to that other village yesterday.”

“I . . . saw the smoke. And . . . I heard.”

“Yes, well, that village will be your village tomorrow or the next day.”

She swallowed hard, but the tears came anyway. “It’s my fault.”

“How can it be your fault?”

“I must have said something to make Lex want to attack my people. If I’d never told Hana I could make arrows . . . or if I’d been more careful with the books . . . or if I’d watched better the day my brother and I went to pick berries! I was so stupid to get caught like that!”

Tag shook his head. “It’s not your fault. It is the way of the Blens. They take what they want, and Lex wants the secrets of your tribe.”

“We have no secrets!”

“Shh!” Tag glanced around. Denna was walking behind them, but she seemed not to be listening. He spoke in a low voice. “You must be more careful than ever now. And you are wrong. Your tribe has knowledge, and it has children. Lex has neither.”

It wasn’t funny, but Feather felt a hysterical laugh building in her throat. “Now you hush! You just called the leader stupid.”

“Yes, well, for whatever reason, Lex thinks your people have fabulous tools and secrets of making things. Perhaps he wants to improve his weapons, or perhaps he wants better trade goods, I don’t know. But I do know that he will not settle down and live peacefully. Ever. It is not in his nature.”

“Kama said . . .” Feather let her thought trail off, but Tag looked at her sharply.

“What about Kama? She is gone.”

“I know, but she said that in the spring lost things are found, and broken things are mended.”

“So?”

“So I thought all winter that in the spring, when the days and nights were equal again, I would find my tribe, and my broken heart would heal. But that didn’t happen.”

“We’re past the summer solstice now,” Tag agreed. “But that doesn’t mean you cannot find your people now.”

She looked up at the sun, high overhead. “If only I can. This is almost the same time of year. The time of the blackberries.”

“I saw some berries this morning, but they were not ripe.”

She nodded. “I saw them too. My brother and I were gathering berries when Lex caught me.”

“You mustn’t give up,” Tag whispered. “Just wait a little longer, and keep quiet. The time will come soon.”

There was a sudden commotion ahead of them, and the people stopped walking. Tag and Feather hurried forward to see what caused the stir. Patch padded silently along with them.

Dell, Potter, and Ulden were poking three strangers toward the group. The newcomers—two men and a woman— cowered and stared with stricken faces at the Blens.

“Travelers,” Ulden roared. “They had no idea we were there until I pounced out on the trail in front of them. They tried to run, but Dell and Potter cut them off. What do you say, Lex?”

The leader nodded as he looked over the captives. “You have done a good job as scouts.”

One of the captive men fell to his knees before Lex and clasped his hands together. “Please, sir, have mercy on us all. Do not kill us!”

Lex laughed. “Why should I not?”

The woman knelt beside the man. “We will serve you, sir.”

“Yes,” the first man agreed. “We were only trying to find some other people to stay with, a place where we could live with others for safety.”

“That’s good,” said Dell with a laugh. “There is no safety on these roads.”

Lex scratched his chin. “Do you swear to help us?”

“Oh, yes, sir,” said the man.

“Yes, yes,” the woman chirped.

Lex eyed the third stranger. The man looked back at him defiantly. After a long moment, he dropped to one knee. “I will serve you.”

Lex smiled. “That is good, since I’m sure you would not like what would happen next if you did not.” He walked slowly in a circle around the three. “There is a village nearby. You know it?”

“Nay,” said the first man.

“Ah, but you sought a people to live with. Surely you had heard there is a people living near here.”

“We only guessed,” said the woman.

Lex strode around them again. “Your time of testing will come soon. When we raid this village, you will help us. If you do not . . .” He turned and looked at the circle of his own people, and his gaze lit on Tag. “Bring the cat.”

Tag stepped forward hesitantly. His hand was buried in the silky fur on Patch’s neck, and the panther walked beside him, his back nearly as high as Tag’s waist.

When they came close to the prisoners, Patch snarled and hissed. The woman shrieked and hid her face in her arms. The men flinched and stared at the huge cat.

“If you turn against us, I will feed you to this cat in little pieces,” Lex said.

Tag stood without moving a muscle until Lex gave the orders for the prisoners’ hands to be tied. The column began to move forward again with Ulden and Tala herding the three captives along.

“Why did he say that?” Feather whispered.

“He wants two things,” Tag replied. “He wants to scare them into obeying, and he wants to bind me to him. I am afraid, Feather. I think he will try very soon to make me use Patch in the raiding.”

“Use him how?”

“He wants me to make him attack people. He said it in jest one day, but . . . I think now he meant it. He wants me to train Patch to lead our raids.”

“It would certainly scare people,” Feather said.

“Yes.”

“Perhaps that’s it. He sees the value of showing Patch to the enemy. They will run, and our men can seize their things without fighting.”

“If that is all he wants . . .” Tag shook his head. “I’m afraid that is not enough for Lex. He wants power—over me and over the cat.”

“Maybe he fears that one day you will oppose him. With Patch you could defeat anyone and become leader of the tribe.”

Tag’s gray eyes were troubled. “I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“But Lex would. That’s the way he thinks. He drove Mik away. Now he has to watch his back all the time, in case someone younger and stronger decides to go up against him.”

“Look at the hills,” Tag whispered. “Do you recognize this place?”

Feather squinted at the horizon and shook her head.

“I think we must leave soon,” Tag said.

The next evening Feather waited in the darkness outside the circle of firelight. There was no good place to meet Tag, and he had told her simply to wait in a spot apart from the others, and he would find her.

He and Patch came silently through the grass.

“I cannot stay long. Cade and Potter want me to help them prepare for the raid. I told them I would be right back.”

“Denna’s been hounding me all day. She’ll probably spot us any second and be over here too, wanting to know what we’re up to.”

“It is tomorrow night,” Tag said.

“What is?”

“The raid of your people.”

“You’re sure?”

“Lex told all of us warriors. And he told me not to tell you.”

“Then you’d better get away from me.”

“He said we will come close to where he found you tomorrow, and we will camp there. We will scout for your village, and at dusk we will attack.”

Feather took a slow, shaky breath. “So . . . when?”

“At supper tomorrow. Let them get their food. They will not miss us for a while, maybe until Lex gathers the warriors for the raid. We’ll have an hour or two if all goes well.”

She nodded. “When we camp, look for a meeting place.”

He glided back toward the men’s sleeping ground. Patch stayed at his side, a fluid shadow in the starlight. The timing was tricky. Feather was first to reach the spot Tag had chosen. She didn’t expect him for another twenty minutes. Her heart pounded as she waited. The cat was so noticeable! What if Lex saw the panther moving away from the camp? She crouched in the small grove of maples, waiting.

She was sure the Woban village lay just over that mountain, but there was no smoke in the sky to mark the place. What if they were wrong? What if she and Tag set out and became lost in the mountains? She made herself breathe slowly. They had concealed a small amount of food in their packs, and they would have Patch along. He could provide game if need be.

Tag and Patch moved toward her from the camp, and she shrank back under the trees.

“Feather?”

“I’m here.”

They were beside her then.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go. It’s time.”

“Yes, it’s time!” Lex roared, stepping suddenly from behind a large tree trunk. Feather sprang back, but he grabbed her arm. “No, no, little Arrow Girl. You’ll not slip away from me. When a maid goes off alone in the evening, it could be she just wants a private moment. But when a warrior goes to meet her bearing his weapons and a loaded pack, then it is time for the leader to know what’s going on!”

Feather stopped struggling and looked at Tag. He stood stiff and straight, his hands at his sides.

“Tag,” she pleaded.

Tag’s eyes flickered.

“Patch!”

At his word the panther crouched and growled.

Instantly Lex released Feather and stooped for a moment. She heard metal click on stone. There was a hiss, and a flame shot out. He rose and held up a blazing torch.

The panther whined and crouched lower.

“Easy, Patch,” Tag said, keeping his eyes on Lex.

“I’ll not be bested by that cat the way Mik was,” Lex said. “You see, boy? You may have power over the panther, but you are still not as clever as I am. Now, come back to camp.”

Tag’s bottom lip quivered. Feather watched him anxiously.
If he gives in, I’ll run,
she decided
. I am not going back with them.

“Patch,” Tag said again, in little more than a whisper. The cat tensed, but Lex thrust the torch into his face. The panther howled and bolted into the trees.

Tag’s face was pale, but he did not move. He just stood staring at Lex.

“Come now,” Lex said.

Karsh had come with Jem to the hideout in the woods, bringing fresh water and meat to the women and children.

“Two whole days,” Bente said. His lower lip stuck out in a pout. “We’ve lived in the trees two whole days and nights.”

“Kim nearly fell off the platform last night,” Zee said. “She climbed on the railing. They’re bored up there.”

Jem sighed. “I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not safe.”

“Do you know something?” Zee eyed her new husband warily. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“Last night we saw smoke where there is never any smoke.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Zee drew back and motioned to Rose and Tansy. “The enemy is close. Keep the children quiet. We must go back up the trees.”

“You’ve seen them?” Rose asked Jem.

“No, but there is movement beyond the next line of hills. Someone made camp there last night. We hope they don’t know we are here. Just keep quiet and don’t leave this place. Even if you hear noise in the village, do not come down from the trees. And if they should come near you, you know what to do.”

“Right!” Bente grinned. “We’ll drop rocks on their heads and shoot them with our bows.”

Jem pressed his lips together and looked long and sadly at his wife and son. “Karsh and I must go back. Whatever happens, do not give yourselves away.”

“I want to fight,” Bente said.

“Foolish boy,” said his father.

“We’ll come and get you when the Blens are gone,” Karsh promised him. Zee frowned, and he added quickly, “If they are Blens. And Alomar said to tell you all to stay hidden and quiet until we come to you.”

“We will,” Zee promised.

Karsh could see that Bente was disappointed that he was still counted a child and could not join Karsh and the men. He reached into his pouch and took out his lodestone. “Will you keep this for me, Bente? It was Hunter’s gift to me, and I wouldn’t want to lose it.”

Bente looked into his eyes in wonder, then reached for the treasure. “I will keep it safe until you come back for it.” They have at least a dozen men.” Neal had just come down from the sentry post, and he huddled with the other men in front of the lodge. “We need to keep low and be extremely careful.”

Karsh was not allowed onto the ridge. In this moment of danger, a boy was not entrusted with the tribe’s safety, even a boy who had done the work of a man for nearly a year.

“Best not send out any more scouts,” Hunter said.

“No, we’re keeping close.”

Karsh tugged at Hunter’s sleeve, and Hunter asked, “No sign of our Feather, I suppose?”

Neal shook his head. “Hardy couldn’t get close enough to their camp to tell. He thinks he saw a couple of women, but he took a risk as it was.”

Karsh tried not to show his disappointment. He and Hunter had prepared a scanty meal for all of the men, and Neal took the rations and headed up the slope with the food for the sentries.

“It’s not as late as when they . . .” Karsh let the thought trail off.

“I know what you are thinking,” Hunter said. “You’re right. The berries are not ripe yet. It is probably not the same band of Blens. If it is, they are early this year.”

“What if she’s with them?” Karsh stared at him, but Hunter did not hold the gaze.

“You know what Alomar said,” Hunter told him softly as he closed the food containers. “We must wait. But if this pack of Blens does not find us, I will go with you when they leave. We will track them carefully and see if we can find any sign of Feather.”

“Perhaps we could find one of their arrows, and we would know if she made it.”

“Yes,” Hunter agreed. “That is possible, or when their men go out to hunt, we can get in close to their camp and watch for her.”

Karsh nodded, thinking about how they would sneak through the brush. “And if she is not with them?”

Hunter was silent for a long moment. “In the fall I will go with you.”

Karsh took two breaths before he dared answer. “You will?”

“Yes. After our big hunt. That is, if we live through this summer, and if we’ve had no sign of Feather before then. I will go south with you, and we will trade with everyone we meet and ask about her. We will bring her back to our family.”

Karsh found it hard to breathe. “You would be a father for Feather and me?”

“If you and she want that.”

“We do. I do, and I know she would too if she were here!”

“When this is over . . . when these Blens have gone away, I will speak to the elders to see if I can adopt you.”

Karsh smiled then. “Would I have a mother too?”

Hunter winced. “I . . . hadn’t planned on that. Were you thinking you might?”

“Well . . .” Karsh lowered his head and looked down at the floor. “You could marry Tansy.”

Hunter laughed.

“What?” Karsh asked. “Don’t you like her? I like her a lot.”

“Yes, I do, but . . . Tansy is older than me, and . . . and she plaits her hair in those funny little braids, and . . . she won’t eat melons.” Hunter grinned. “I don’t think that’s a possibility, Karsh. Tansy and I will always be friends, but I don’t think we would be good mates.”

Karsh considered that. It was true that Hunter loved melons. Tansy said they were only fit for goat food. She was odd in some ways, and she was older, but still he liked her, and she was skilled at healing. It seemed Hunter’s reasons were not good enough to keep from completing their family. But perhaps there were other things that Hunter didn’t mention.

Hunter put the bowl of cracked corn on a high shelf. “Come. It’s nearly dark. If they do plan mischief, it will be tonight. We must be ready at our posts.”